There is a t-shirt that says "Born in Maine, Living in Exile." I lived in "exile" (actually a very nice place) for 32 years, and returned to Maine in 2005. That's not necessarily what all this is about, just the only title I could think of at the time.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Birthday Fun!

Today is my birthday! I began the day by checking my email and learning, through Today in Literature, that I share a birthday with John Newton of "Amazing Grace" fame, and John D. MacDonald, creator of the Travis McGee mystery series. Also Alexandre Dumas pere, author of The Three Musketeers, but I knew that already. Then, I got the first of two e-cards from Sisterfilms -- the "serious" one, via Catholic Greetings.org. No, we're not Catholic, but they do have a nice selection of e-cards if one chooses judiciously. She said things that are too nice to repeat here. Later, I got one she sent via Someecards.com, which was more humorous. Here is a photo of the two physical cards I received today, one from Onkel Hankie Pants (homemade and personal) and one from The Traveller (with a picture of the dog we should have gotten):A bit later, we drove to the Dolphin Marina in West Harpswell for lunch. We had originally planned to take the lunchtime cruise from Bailey Island but the weather was so grey and at times rainy that we will postpone that to another day. Of course, I had the lobster stew and blueberry muffin. This is not only the best lobster stew ever, and a tasty muffin besides, but a great bargain. There seemed to be about 14 lobster claws in my bowl of stew (I wish I'd brought my camera along, but for those of you who don't know, lobster stew is just lobster, creamy milk and a little butter). Amazing! I all but licked the bowl. I also received presents from Onkel Hankie Pants at the restaurant. You will see a picture a little later; I got a July 26, 1948 issue of TIME magazine (closest issue to today); a new pizza cutter wheely thing; and a book called RED LIGHTS by Georges Simenon of Inspector Maigret fame -- oddly enough set in Maine. I also got to look out the window at the harbor, which looks beautiful to me even in the grey mist.

When I got home I found two messages on the answering machine, one being Sisterfilms singing Happy Birthday, and the other from Debbie's Garden to arrange a flower delivery! We agreed on 5 pm and right on schedule, the flowers came. A dozen pink roses from The Traveller! She had also sent me a tote bag from the recent family reunion at which she was the only representative of our branch (and that means the descendants of her and OHP's grandfather, not just our nuclear family) and I didn't expect anything more. They look and smell lovely. Here are some pictures of my presents and also the ad from the back of the TIME magazine, which I'm glad was NOT my birthday lunch:

It took three vases to hold all the flowers -- now they can be distributed around the house. Lovely fragrance too. The ad shows a lunch or dinner suggestion for hot weather -- chilled sliced SPAM(tm) with salad. I've eaten SPAM(tm), and used to work for someone whose grandfather invented it, but the cold stuff just doesn't work for me.

Well now, when I get home tonight I shall hoist a glass in honour of John D Macdonald...Travis and Meyer and the rest -- and in celebration of AuntieKnickers and her beautiful blog also! Many happy returns.

Happy Birthday to you! I was born in 1949, so we're virtually astral twins (people born on exactly the same day-as I understand it and information I gleaned from a mystery book which I love!) I went to the Jersey shore and watched my friends eat lobster which this aging, gallbladderless stomach can no longer tolerate. Sigh... I did get tickets to the new production on South Pacific on Broadway and a massage and pedicure at the Mandarin Hotel from BL.